Justice News

Former Evanston Man Sentenced to over 19 Years for Robbing First Federal Savings Bank in Rock Falls

ROCKFORD — A former Evanston, Ill. man was sentenced Tuesday in federal court on a federal bank robbery charge.

The defendant, CONRAD J. GONZALEZ, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala to 234 months in federal prison, and ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

On January 7, 2016, following a three-day trial before Judge Kapala, Gonzalez was found guilty by a federal jury of robbing the First Federal Savings Bank, located at 701 1st Ave., in Rock Falls, Ill. on Oct. 30, 2013.

According to the indictment and evidence at trial, at approximately 1:00 p.m. on Oct. 30, 2013, Gonzalez entered First Federal wearing a baseball cap and Chicago Bears sweatshirt. Gonzalez approached a bank teller and handed her a note demanding money. When the teller attempted to retrieve the note from the counter, Gonzalez said, “That was a stupid thing to do,” and took the note back. The teller then handed $1,870 to Gonzalez, who then walked out of the bank on foot.

The sentencing was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Rock Falls and Sterling Police Departments assisted in the investigation.

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph C. Pedersen and Monica V. Mallory.